Canberra steamroll struggling Knights

Four try assists by Canberra half back Sam Williams has laid the platform for the Raiders 44-22 win over Newcastle in front of 13,504 fans at Hunter Stadium. Williams and co had their way with the Knights for the majority of the 80 minutes.

It was the perfect start by the Green Machine who opened the scoring through Edrick Lee on 5 minutes after Blake Austin's hot form continued when he busted through the line and grubbered down the left hand side. Lee outpaced his opposite number Akulia Uate and planted the ball down, Croker's conversion made it 6-0. Minutes later the Raiders had opened up a 8-0 win after a play the ball infringement by Newcastle saw Croker extend their advantage.

Edrick Lee was again in the middle of the action when he leapt above two Knights defenders in an AFL style leap to score his 2nd try of the afternoon. Lee showed great poise and ball handling skills to control the ball and get it down over the try line, Croker missed the conversion and the score remained 12-0. Minutes later things went from bad to worse for the Knights when Jack Wighton sliced through some feeble Newcastle defence after a beautiful ball by Sam Williams. This came on the back of errors and missed tackles by the Knights who looked all at sea in the opening 20 minutes.

The Game went back and forth in the final 20 minutes as Newcastle scored two tries through both Uate and Leilua to reduce the margin to 8 points, before Josh Papalii crashed over right on half time to restore parity for the visitors, at half time the score read 24-10 to Canberra.

Newcastle had to be first to score in the second half to stay in the contest, and they did just that through Sione Mata'utai, who collected a nice bat back by Uate to score in the corner, Gidley sent the conversion over and again it was game on at 24-16.

However that would be the closest that the home side would get as the best attacking team in the competition began to flex their muscles ovr the next 30 minutes. Blake Austin scored two tries in the space of 4 minutes, both which included his famous left foot step, the tiring Knights couldn't match it with the Raiders star five eighth.

Gagai scored the Knights 4th try of the game on 64 minutes after a nice offload by Joseph Leilua, however it was all in vein. Jarrod Croker put the icing on the cake on 75 minutes after Sam Williams set up his 4th try of the day with a perfect hooked, chip kick. The following conversion saw the score finish 44-22 and Croker finished with a personal haul of 18 points.

The Knights have now lost 9 of their past 10 games are on struggle street. They will need a drastic change in coming weeks. Some soul searching will certainly be done over the next week as they have the bye, before returning to Hunter Stadium to host the Sharks in Round 15.

Meanwhile Canberra will be a very happy camp after bringing an end to a 3 match winless run. Ricky Stuart will be happy with his troops who played their hearts out away from home. The Raiders enjoy the week off as well, before they head home to Canberra to host the Cowboys in a fortnight's time.

Match Details

Newcastle Knights 22 Canberra Raiders 44
Venue: Hunter Stadium
Crowd: 13504
Halftime Score: Newcastle Knights 10 Canberra Raiders 24

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS (22)
Tries: Akuila Uate, Joseph Leilua, Sione Mata'utia, Dane Gagai
Conversions: Kurt Gidley (3/4)

CANBERRA RAIDERS (44)
Tries: Edrick Lee (2), Jarrod Croker, Jack Wighton, Josh Papalii, Blake Austin (2)
Conversions: Jarrod Croker (6/7)
Penalty Goals: Jarrod Croker (2/2)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Sam Williams
2 points - Blake Austin
1 point - Josh Papalii

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Good afternoon Footy fans! Welcome to the first of 3 bumper games to be played today in another installment of super Saturday! I'll be running you through the first two games with live updates starting from 3pm between Newcastle and Canberra in the beautiful Hunter region. We will then move across to cover the Souths Vs Warriors game from 5.30pm from Perth.
In regards to both teams in this game, they are unchanged from Tuesday and line up 1-17, with both Dane Gagai and Kurt Gudley shrugging of their injury concerns for the Knights.

No changes for Canberra who are smarting after three straight defeats and Ricky Stuart coming off a 25,000 fine for his infamous pots match conference . They will want to put that behind them and get the win and keep in touch with the top 8. The form of Blake Austin and Jarrod Croker has been a bright spot in an other wise miserable last month for the green machine.
For Newcastle, after starting the season 4-0, they have only registered 1 win in 8 games in a torrid run for the Novacastrions. They need a change and need it quick as they have slipped all the way down to 13th. Their forward pack will need to muscle up against a Canberra pack that can dominate any team in the comp. Should be a massive battle up front!

In the NSW Cup game just finished, The Newcastle Knights won 34-22 over the Mounties. First grade is about 20 mins away.

Who's ya pick folks? Can Canberra keep their attacking form going? Or will their 15th ranked defence hurt them?
Will the home side the Knights get their season back on track? Can Gidley and co get things going?

Also Jarrod Croker is just 2 points away from reaching 1,000 points in the NRL.
In what reads as bad news for the Raiders, they have won just 2 of their last 8 at Hunter Stadium.

Just a few minutes until kick off here guys and girls.
Canberra wearing their yellow away jersey which is very different to their usual lime green. Newcastle in their usual read and blue striped jersey

Both sides are out on the park, and we have kick off!

Canberra have first use of the football, with Shillington crashes into a wall of Newcastle jumpers.

2: Big opening set by the Knights, they get 6 again after Canberra decide to not contest Tumivave's bomb, on the attack the Knights!

3: Tumivave puts in a good grubber on the last after Canberra again don't go for the ball, Wighton takes it dead, but the ref has seen a knock on by Newcastle. Weird that as it didn't appear like there was a knock on

5: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Edrick Lee. Kick to come.
Wonderful try by the Raiders. It's that man Blake Austin who strolls through some terrible defence and kicks to Edrick Lee who scoops it up and runs away to score! Fantastic!

5: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
1,000 points for Croker! 6-0 tot he Canberra side.

6: Newcastle were doing all the running so they will be disappointed that they are behind

7: Great kick by Sam Williams, Gagai has to go back to retrieve and he is pushed back in goal by some eager defence! Great stuff from the Raiders

8: UNFORCED ERROR CANBERRA RAIDERS
Jack Wighton makes an unforced error.
Wighton wraps around and looks in space but Gidley makes a great one on one tackle that jolts the ball free, relief for the Knights.

9: Penalty to Newcastle on the first tackle after Canberra were off side from the scrum

10: Beautiful take by Rapana off the high bomb by Gidley, he looks good out there the youngster. Newcastle making plenty of metres and looking promising. Open game at the moment

12: Penalty to the Canberra Raiders for a dangerous lift by Gidley, relieving penalty for the green machine

12: On the attack 30m out, chance here for Canberra

13: Canberra get another penalty, markers weren't square, sloppy there from the knights. Croker opts to go for the 2 points.

13: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL CANBERRA RAIDERS
Penalty goal attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
Straight between the posts

15: Another penalty to Canberra! They're on the ropes now the Novacastrions. Playing very sloppy at the moment

16: We're going up stairs to the video referee! Possibly try to Edrick Lee

16: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Edrick Lee. Kick to come.
Wonderful pin point kick by Williams and Lee leaps high above two Knights defenders to plant down and score! Wonderful skill by the big man.

16: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker unsuccessful.
Hits the upright Croker, score remains 12-0.

17: Newcastle just aren't playing smart footy at the moment and struggling to hold this Canberra forward pack. Need a change and need it soon.

18: Metres galore on offer to Canberra as they make 70 metres in the following set, they again kick to Lee but Uate does enough to get the ball and get the Knights out of trouble

19: Spoke too soon! Error by McManus and Canberra have the ball in a great position

19: 20 m out folks.

19: Going up to the video referee again, Wighton slides through some feeble defence

19: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Jack Wighton. Kick to come.
Sam Williams finds some space after a nice pass by Hodgson and sends Wighton through a gaping hole to slide over, that was far too easy!

19: Alarm bells are ringing for the Knights.

20: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
No problems with that kick, its 18-0!

21: Knights are making far too many errors and giving away too many penalties, it is really hurting them at the moment

23: Knights finally get the ball but again they are unimaginative in attack as they bomb to Rapana for like the 1,000th time and for the 1,000th time he takes it easily. Might wanna change plans soon?

25: Newcastle on the attack now after Soliola hits Gidley late

25: Video referee time! Might have a try to Uate

25: TRY NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Scored by Akuila Uate. Kick to come.
Right hand side raid by the Knights, Uate burrows low under a few defenders and gets the ball just on the line! They have got one the Knights, boy did they need that!

25: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Conversion attempt by Kurt Gidley unsuccessful.
Kick shapes away to the left, no goal,

25: Would you believe it! Raiders are offside from the kick off! But then the Knights don't find touch! Wow!

25: Coach and fan killing that kinda play by the Knights.

30: TRY NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Scored by Joseph Leilua. Kick to come.
Fortunate! But they'll take it the Knights! Gidley with the grubber, Austin can't hold on to it and it bounces into the hands of a flying Leilua who is under the posts! 18-8!

31: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Conversion attempt by Kurt Gidley successful.
Gidley reduces the deficit further, nice strike

31: We have a game on our hands now!

33: Knights playing with a lot more momentum now and making plenty of metres, the crowd is coming into the game too.

34: Great last tackle play by the knights with Tuimvave showing great class, beats Austin and sends an offload out to McManus, eventually Randall is grounded with it on the last however.

36: Line drop out for the Knights, nice kick by Wiliams, but Sims cleans up. chance here for the Raiders before half time.

38: Knock on by Beau Scott on the last will see the Raiders with yet another set. Hard ball to grab for Scott there, another good kick by Williams who is playing very well today.

38: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Josh Papalii. Kick to come.
Just too much pressure! Williams sends another lovely ball, this time to Papalii who crashes through Tumivave and scores out wide, that one hurts the Knights.

40: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
Lovely strike again by Croker, right through the goal posts. 24-10 at half time.

40: That's half time here at Hunter Stadium folks, great performance by the Raiders who are loving playing footy in the day time. Knights need a change up in the 2nd half and need to eliminate these silly errors that have crept into their game

40: Canberra have completed 18/19 sets, Newcastle 11/15, Canberra 623 metres to the Knights 463 metres, 135 tackles by Canberra and the Knights have made 154, line breaks 2-1 to the Raiders.

40: We're back and ready for the second half everyone.

41: Newcastle have the first use of the football.
Also some injury news on Jack Stockwell who wont be back for Newcastle after sustaining a elbow injury

43: Knights had some good field position after a strong defensive set, it all comes undone when Leilua knocks on.

43: Blake Austin aslo has an injury to his ankle, is hobbling quite visibly but will fight through the pain according to reports.

46: TRY NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Scored by Sione Mata'utia. Kick to come.
Great try! Good kick by Gidley who finds Uate who slaps it back to Sione Mataütai who slides over, great team work and it comes on the back of a very good set by the Knights. 24-12.

47: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Conversion attempt by Kurt Gidley successful.
Steers this home and again the gap is back to 8 points, 24-16!

47: Can Newcastle use this momentum and get another try?

49: Line Drop out! Gidley takes on the line and runs through, kicks for Uate who is charging through, Wighton has to take it dead! More pressure coming up.

50: Scott knocks it on and the chance is missed by the Knights.

51: Canberra get a penalty for offside and are on the attack now, about 15 metres out

52: Knock only Austin after a great grubber by Williams, Canberra are certainly pressuring though, they are searching for more points

52: Another error by the Knights, dear oh dear. Just not completing sets! It's been a recurring theme all aternoon

54: The winner of this game is going to be the team that can play mistake free footy and keep hold of the ball, both sides struggling with their completion rates and giving away silly penalties

55: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Blake Austin. Kick to come.
The man of the moment! Austin gets a great bat back from Sisa Waqa and collects and runs under the posts to score!

56: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
Croker kicks them 14 points clear. 30-16.

59: Canberra on the attack 10m out after Snowden makes his second error of the day

60: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Blake Austin. Kick to come.
Almost a replay of the previous try, left foot steps the defence and rolls his way through. What bad ankle??

61: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
Croker guides this one and its now 36-16, think it might be game over for the Knights, despite 20 minutes remaining.

63: Canberra just look in complete control, just haven't matched up today the Knights, very disappointing for their fans that have come out

63: Video referee decision coming up after a lovely break by Gagai

63: TRY NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Scored by Dane Gagai. Kick to come.
This is a good try despite a great tackle by Wighton, offload by Leilua and Gagai puts the after burners on and just gets the ball down on the line! 36-20

63: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Conversion attempt by Kurt Gidley successful.
Successful Conversion

65: Another try would make things interesting folks...

68: A good set by the Knights and they look threatening again, but Canberra's defence does enough to turn the ball over .

68: 40/20 CANBERRA RAIDERS
Josh Hodgson kicks a 40/20.
Wonderful kick by the hooker! Knights under the pump now.

69: A penalty to the Raiders who will take the shot at goal.

70: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL CANBERRA RAIDERS
Penalty goal attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
From right in front Croker makes no mistake, out by 16 points the Raiders with 10 mins left.

72: Would take a miracle for the Knights to get out of jail here.

73: Line Drop out after Wighton puts a grubber through, Gagai is grounded in goal by Waqa, Knights long afternoon continues...

75: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Jarrod Croker. Kick to come.
Croker gets on the board now and this is a train wreck! Nice angled chip kick by Williams, Croker gets up first over Gagai and Slams it down under the sticks! Icing on the cake.

76: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
Croker slots this one through.

77: Can the Raiders hit the half century? Ricky Stuart looks a lot happier on the touch line as well! I'm not surprised!

79: Last minute here, Knights on the attack

79: Scrap that, ball is lost and the Raiders will hold onto the ball and win the game!

80: A dominant performance by the Raiders here today, were very strong attacking wise and their defence did enough to hold out the Knights.
Knights were disappointing at home and have now lost 9 of their past 10, trouble is brewing for them.
Check back on league unlimited for the full match report and coverage of the Souths Vs Warriors game from 5.30!